HONOR ROLL

Dionne Anderson, UC Riverside softball. The Highlanders' lone senior hit .386 and set a Big West record with 47 steals.

A.J. Carrasco, Redlands softball. The sophomore outfielder hit .500, slugged .719 and stole 17 bases to help lead the Bulldogs to another NCAA appearance.

Iris Chung, Mt. San Jacinto golf. Continuing the Eagles success at the state level, Chung won the SoCal regional, then placed fourth at the state tourney.

Taylor Coffelt, RCC track. The sophomore set a national-best mark of 148-5 to win the state javelin title and finished second in the heptathlon.

Stephanie Garrett, Redlands lacrosse. After earning SCIAC player of the year honors, the sophomore was named all-region and All-American.

Kelly Jenks, CBU soccer. The PacWest player of the year scored 16 goals and totaled 40 point on the way to All-American honors.

Chelsey Jones, Cal State soccer. The goalkeeper helped lead the Coyotes to just their second NCAA tournament and was named All-American and academic All-American.

Nicole Nobbe/Tiffany McIntosh, Cal State softball. The duo were named All-American after Nobbe hit .500 and set the school record for doubles. McIntosh set the school record for slugging percentage and was second in the NCAA in walks.

Brenna McIntosh, Cal State volleyball. The sophomore middle blocker was an AVCA and Daktronics All-American and led the CCAA in blocking.

Shebanet'te Terry, RCC track. The freshman won the 400m at the state championships and also placed sixth in the 200.

RIVERSIDE – There’s not much Mary Hanson can’t do. She sings the national anthem before California Baptist swim meets. She’s an academic standout majoring in electrical and computer engineering with a minor in math. She’s also a pretty good swimmer.

After years of buildup and preparation for Cal Baptist’s transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II, it was Hanson who earned the school’s first NCAA title this spring.

Who else? The do-everything Hanson is the epitome of student-athlete, CBU swimming coach Rick Rowland said, so it’s so surprise this season’s Press-Enterprise Women’s Athlete of the Year is the one that made the biggest splash.

“Going in we had expectations, but to actually be able to see it was awesome,” said younger brother Josh Hanson, who’s also a member of the CBU swim team.

He cheered on as Hanson won the 100-yard backstroke at the NCAA Division II championships, setting not only a personal best time, but a school record and DII record time of 52.45 seconds. Hanson would finish the championships with four All-American honors and four school records.

Not a bad NCAA debut for the junior or the Lancers program, which finished ninth overall.

“Sometimes it still feels kind of surreal,” Hanson said, adding that midway through the season she wasn’t even sure how she’d fare at the championship level.

Her times were decent enough, but it was Rowland who kept telling her she could win a title. That was the plan all along and the reason Hanson redshirted last season in preparation for the program’s inaugural NCAA season.

“We felt like somebody that had the ability to win an event an NCAAs; we had to sit them a year,” Rowland said.

The reasoning was sound, but that didn’t make it easier for Hanson. As a freshman in 2011, the program’s last season in NAIA, Hanson dominated the national meet, capturing a 100-yard backstroke title and winning three other medals to help the Lancers claim the NAIA team title. Two years ago the Lancers were in transition mode so competition was limited.

After redshirting last season, she entered this year with essentially two years off from competing.

“It was hard not being able to go to meets because that’s the thing that I love is competing,” she said. “It’s hard going to practice every morning when I’m not going to be scoring in the meet.”

In hindsight, Hanson said the redshirt year definitely helped. She was able to rest a balky shoulder and continue to pursue her vigorous class load. Balancing swimming and academics has become kind of a Hanson family tradition, Rowland said.

Hanson’s older sisters Rachel and Lea swam at CBU and have gone on to careers. This year Hanson was named Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women's Academic Athlete of the Year after accumulating a 3.96 GPA. Josh, a sophomore also majoring in engineering, was named conference’s male Academic Athlete of the Year with a 3.90 GPA.

At the NCAA championship meet in Geneva, Ohio, Josh and Mary sang the national anthem and even learned the Canadian anthem in honor of Simon Fraser University, the only north-of the-border program competing in the NCAA.

Rowland said other coaches jokingly ask if there’s anything they can’t do. How about repeat?

Mary has perfected the underwater part of her backstroke race, but said she can do better on top of the water. She also wants a freestyle title. She finished third in the 50 freestyle at the NCAA meet and owns the school record in the 50 and 100.

It’s hard to top what Hanson accomplished in 2013-14, but the season highlight is obvious.

“I think that was a great way to end the season,” she said of the school’s first NCAA title.

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